Ghanaur/Bhadson, March 20: Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today addressed rallies at Derabassi, Ghanaur, Bhadson and Patiala in favour of SAD candidate Deepinder Singh Dhillon.
Sources said chaos prevailed as free liquor being distributed among SAD workers went out of stock during rallies at Ghanaur and Bhadson.
At Ghanaur, SAD workers were seen pushing each other to grab cartons of liquor that were “promised” to them for participating in the rally. When The Tribune team tried to follow some of the workers, they fled the scene with their “booty”.
Eyewitnesses said police and district administration officials present at the spot turned a blind eye to the illegal activity.
A SAD worker said: “I came here only after I was assured two bottles each for my people.”
The eyewitnesses said workers hurriedly loaded liquor cartons in vehicles used to ferry people to the rally site. Many workers showed slips which they said would help them get their “share” from a designated liquor vend.
A number of MNREGA workers who were brought to Ghanaur and Bhadson too claimed that they were marked present at work. “Besides, we are promised liquor for participating in the rally”, a worker said.
When the matter was brought to the notice of District Electoral Officer Gopal Krishan Singh, he said he would get a report from the Rajpura Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
Ghanaur MLA Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur denied that liquor was distributed. “You show me the pictures and we will identify the workers if there was any such incident,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dhillon’s reported sharing of a helicopter with Sukhbir will cost him dear as half its expenses would be added to his election expenditure.
Earlier addressing a rally, Sukhbir said: “Leaders like Partap Singh Bajwa and Manish Tewari did not want to contest. Now when they are forced into the poll fray, they are trying to prevail on the Congress leadership for Capt Amrinder Singh’s candidature from Amritsar”, he alleged.
Dhillon said Preneet Kaur had failed to get a single development project for the area. “Despite being Union Minister, she failed to fulfill promises made to the voters”, he said.
A late evening rally near Quila Chowk in Patiala led to traffic snarls. Commuters and shopkeepers had to suffer a great deal as the city police had sealed certain routes to facilitate movement of VIP vehicles.
Eyewitness’ account
* Chaos prevailed as free liquor distributed among SAD workers went out of stock at the rallies in Ghanaur and Bhadson
* At Ghanaur, workers pushed one another to grab cartons of liquor “promised” to them for attending the rally
* Police and district administration officials at the spot turned a blind eye to all this
* Many workers showed slips which they said would help them get their “share” from a designated liquor vend
Source: TNS